Three Amur tigers shot in 10 days in Primorye, November – December 2003

10.11.2003

During the last 10 days three Amur tigers perished in Primorsky krai, Russian Far East. The first conflict tiger case occurred on November 30, 2003 when hunters had killed Amur tiger after its attack on one of the hunters near Krasny stream, Khankaisky district of Primorye. Further investigation by Inspection Tiger team revealed that two hunters had gone hunting near Dvoryanka village. A young tiger was hunting there too when four hunters’ dogs found it and started barking. The hunter thought that the dogs had found a wild boar because there were many boar tracks around, and hurried towards the bark. At that moment the tiger attacked the hunter who managed to shoot and kill the black-striped feline. Inspection Tiger rangers came to conclusion that illicit hunting with dogs had provoked tiger’s attack. Initiation of criminal proceeding was rejected.

On December 06, 2003 Inspection Tiger rangers received information about tiger poaching in Spassky district. Immediately afterwards, the Inspection Tiger team went to investigate the case. Investigation revealed that two poachers (37 and 17 years old) had found a tigress with two cubs while hunting near Vasilkovka village, Spassky district of Primorye. Illegal hunters shot one tiger cub dead and injured the tigress. The tigress with another cub managed to flee into the forest. The poachers took the corpse of the killed tiger cub and returned home. Next day the 17-year old hunter, together with his 20-year old accomplice and three dogs, went hunting and was tracking the tigress for two hours. The dogs helped to find the tigress and the hunters killed it by two shots. The poachers cut off pads and head and skinned the dead animal. Then the hunters took everything but meat. As a result of Inspection Tiger rangers’ work, two criminal proceedings were initiated and there is a hope that poachers will be punished severely. Unfortunately, there is a poor chance for the orphaned tiger cub to survive in taiga on its own.